crunch, crunch, crunch
flip-flap, flip-flap
scrush, scrush, scrush


Even with my ears muffled against the sudden fall chill, I can hear the quiet cadence of my feet as they plod along on different surfaces on this still night.

The pond is still as I jog by.  So still that not only are the outlines of the darkened mountains clearly outlined, but a few stars are even clearly reflected, and - yes - for a moment, there's the moon's reflection, barely seen above the reflected horizon.

The milky way keeps me company overhead.  It's a dark night and the moon is failing, but the stars provide enough ambient lighting for me to keep my equilibrium.

As I run on the path through the field, the moon waves to me through the trees.  We encourage each other to continue on our respective races.  In the distance the trees already look like the naked skeletons they will soon become.  It's a night that promises autumn.  Time is also racing.

I pause to bid the moon farewell as it begins to descend behind some distant hills.  Soon the crescent looks like a triangle, and the triangle fades until it resembles a candle on a far hill.  A moment more and the candle is snuffed - but an ember still burns!  And then that too is gone, and the stars hold full sway over the night sky.  

Moon Magic

Story #1:

Flashlights bobbed along the trail before and behind us.  It was a warm evening, and as we moved quickly up the hill, sweat beaded on our foreheads and our lungs were put to good use.  For about 20 minutes we hiked and then, as the light of several campfires came into view we stopped.  For they were not actual campfires.  Instead, holes in the earth allow a strange mixture of gases to leak out, and they combust when they reach the surface. The dancing flames are the remains of a phenomena that has awed travelers for millennia: the Chimera.

As we stopped to take in the flames, the star encrusted sky, and the black outlines of the mountains against the horizon, we looked also at the moon, struck by it's odd shape.  It had been almost full the previous night, but now it appeared to have decreased in size again - but in the wrong direction.  The conclusion was inescapable: and eclipse!  So we sat there, by ancient dancing flames and watched the moon be fully eclipsed by the earth's shadow.  Years ago there were pagans who worshiped on this mountain, at these flames, awed by the magic of fire from the earth.  What would they have thought on such a night, with the fires burning and the moon growing dark?  We, however, are blessed to know and are known by the God who ordained these wonders.

Story #2

Under a darkening sky we made our way down the road towards the beach.  Most of the tourists had left with the sun and anyone who might return after dark was still at dinner.  So it was that we were alone when we rounded a curve and came into sight of the bay.  A point of land stuck out, black against the twilight, and on the tip a campfire seemed to burn.  As we walked closer to the water, however, we realized that the yellow light was not that of a fire, but of a huge orange moon that hung just above the horizon.  The reflection in the water shimmered with the same orange glow as we sat down on the pebbled beach to watch it rise higher.

The frog's song, accompanied by the plunk of pebbles in the quiet waves made a perfect accompaniment to the silently, majestically rising moon.

Together with Innocent Smith, we celebrated being alive.   

The Moon

I've always thought the the moon is an amazing analogy for the Christian life. When I was in eighth grade I even wrote a sort of poem to that effect. The moon by itself is a cold, dark thing. Yet, when it is fulfilling the purpose for which it was created (Genesis 1:15-16) it reflects the glory of the sun and gives light to the earth.

Likewise, when apart from God we are hopeless, helpless, condemned, slaves to sin, lost in darkness. Yet, out of His infinite grace and mercy He chooses to save us. Not only that, but then he chooses to use us: we have the job of reflecting the glory of the Son to a dark and sinful world.

However, sometimes in the life of the moon an event happens which decreases its effectiveness as a light-giver. Such an event happened last night: a lunar eclipse. During this event, the earth comes between the sun and the moon and casts its shadow over the moon.


You can, of course, still tell the difference between the moon and the rest of the night sky -- it doesn't get that dark. Nonetheless, its effectiveness is diminished.


The same thing can happen with Christians: we become enamored with the world. We let it come between ourselves and God. We find that the glory we are trying to reflect is sullied. Our witness is greatly lessened.




Fortunately for the moon, this shadowing only lasts a couple hours. Very shortly it is uncovered again and clearly reflecting all the sun's rays.


We followers of Christ, though, how long do we allow our lights to be overshadowed by our love of the world? Especially here in America where there are so many things to be distracted by, where materialism is rampant and sin is so often made to look so attractive. When will we again truly reflect the glory of the Son to a dying world?

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:18

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17